OTTAWA — The case against a Canadian captain charged with murdering a wounded Afghan on the battlefield is expected to come to a head Monday when a court martial hears from the prosecution’s key witness.

Cpl. Steven Fournier is expected to testify that his mentor, Capt. Robert Semrau, told him he shot a man to relieve him from his suffering.

Semrau told Fournier he “couldn’t live with himself” if he left an injured human being to die like that, prosecutor Capt. Tom Fitzgerald said Fournier would testify, when the Crown outlined its case last month.

Fournier will say Semrau had confided in him that “anyone would do the same thing” and he was prepared to “take the fall” for his actions, Fitzgerald said.

Semrau, a father of two young daughters, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder for killing a disarmed and wounded Afghan insurgent while leading a small team of Canadian soldiers mentoring members of the Afghan National Army.

Warrant Officer Merlin Longaphie, another member of the Canadian team, recently testified Semrau had “father-son talks” with Fournier.

During one of these chats, Fitzgerald said Semrau told Fournier, “I’ve even killed a man, who knows what will happen.”

Semrau’s case has been plagued with procedural delays and is weeks behind schedule.

althia.raj@sunmedia.ca